Gulf Power Looks To Add More Wind Energy

June 28, 2016

Gulf Power is seeking to further diversify its energy mix by adding more wind. Monday, the company filed a petition asking the Florida Public Service Commission to approve adding 94 megawatts of wind energy from the Kingfisher Wind farm in Oklahoma.

Gulf Power is already a leading purchaser of wind generation among Florida utilities. Since January of this year, Gulf Power’s original Kingfisher Wind project has been producing 178 megawatts of wind-generated energy. The energy company is seeking approval of a second agreement involving the Kingfisher Wind project that would add an additional 94 megawatts of wind energy to its energy mix, for a total of 272 megawatts.

“Gulf Power is committed to renewable energy that makes economic sense for our customers,” said Rick DelaHaya, Gulf Power spokesperson. “Our renewables team worked very hard to make these projects affordable. These smart renewables, like Kingfisher Wind, can actually put downward pressure on prices.”

Located in Oklahoma, the Kingfisher Wind project has a total of 136 wind turbines capable of producing enough energy to power approximately 77,150 homes for a year.

“Adding alternate sources of renewable energy to our portfolio is important for our customers and takes careful planning,” added DelaHaya. “By diversifying our energy supply with an ‘all of the above’ approach that includes renewable energy, our customers can count on us for their energy needs today and well into the future.”

If the additional 94 megawatts are approved by the FPSC, and once construction of Gulf Power’s military solar projects are complete, renewable energy sources are projected to be approximately 9 percent of the company’s energy mix, helping to diversify the power supply. Kingfisher is the energy company’s sixth renewable energy project following the Perdido Landfill Gas-to-Energy Facility, which has produced more than 100 million kilowatt hours of electricity since 2010.

Gulf Power is also bringing large-scale solar to Northwest Florida at three military solar energy projects across Northwest Florida. Located at Eglin AFB (Air Force), Saufley Field (Navy) and Holley Field (Navy), the projects are expected to provide approximately 30MW, 50MW and 40MW of renewable energy respectively.

Comments

7 Responses to “Gulf Power Looks To Add More Wind Energy”

  1. david lamb on July 2nd, 2016 9:35 am

    A better option is with research and development the shingles and roofing materials on your home could become solar panels and one could generate their on energy and it could blend in and be more pleasing to the eye!
    It will probably not happen because energy companies would not be necessary and they would scream like a wounded animal. CNG is also better!

  2. david lamb on July 2nd, 2016 8:56 am

    I failed to mention that they are very expensive and require much maintenance

  3. david lamb on July 2nd, 2016 8:51 am

    Have you ever driven across I 80 in Iowa or I 76 in Colorado. So many stupid wind turbines with their blinking lights at night filling corn and bean fields, and they do not look like the Dutch wind mills! Planting more trees that give off oxygen and devour carbon monoxide is more senseable. These wind turbines just clutter up the beauty of the countryside, kill eagles hawks , owls and other birds. I am not in favor of wind turbines!

  4. hot air on June 29th, 2016 6:06 am

    The cost to produce, ship and install will never reciprocate their inefficiency…in other words the cost outweighs the savings…

  5. Frank on June 28th, 2016 2:47 pm

    dman, It is my understanding that we do not have enough consistent wind above a certain speed that is required for wind turbines. … Consistent is the key!

  6. dman on June 28th, 2016 9:07 am

    This is good, I would like to see more of this. Wind mills are pleasant on the eyes. I love seeing them in Europe, and I don’t see why we don’t have some closer to home. I’m assuming it’s just as easy to pipe it in from Oklahoma, but maybe up here in the north end, we could see a few go up?

  7. Tina on June 28th, 2016 7:22 am

    I love it. I was just talking about this last week. I had no idea they were already doing it. Way to go Gulf Power!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News